On The Inside
by WritelkeUmeanit
Summary: For good reason, Emma burnt the wardrobe ashes. Now they need to find a new way home. The clock is ticking... but that won't stop Mary Margaret from trying to talk to Emma. It won't stop her from trying to find the truth... (S2E3. Emma/Snow!)
1. Anger

**A/N: **Here's a little something I thought up while listening to 'Brave' by Sara Bareilles. Lots of Emma/Mary Margaret! Enjoy!

XOX

_Nothing's gonna hurt you the way that words do  
And they settle 'neath your skin  
Kept on the inside and no sunlight  
Sometimes a shadow wins  
But I wonder what would happen if you_

Say what you wanna say  
And let the words fall out  
Honestly, I wanna see you be brave

**On The Inside**

**Chapter One: Anger**

They agreed on a plan. Emma wanted to kick her own ass for destroying their way home, but at least they had a plan. It didn't seem like a very good one. Find a portal… fat chance, Emma thought. But… it was a plan.

Emma watched as Mary Margaret nodded in agreement when Mulan vowed to help them track down a portal. Mulan then led Aurora outside. Mary Margaret jerked her chin to the door, signaling for Emma to do the same.

"I'm, uh, sorry I torched our ride home. I couldn't let her get to Henry. I just-"

"You had to put Henry first," Mary Margaret said in understanding.

Emma's face fell further. She looked away, her gaze going to the floor. Then she closed her eyes and took a breath.

"Say it, Emma," Mary Margaret said, her words gentle.

"Say what?"

"What's on your mind."

"We should go."

Emma turned to walk away, but Mary Margaret took her wrist.

"They're waiting for us," she insisted.

"Emma, please, look at me," Mary Margaret requested.

Emma put her eyes to Mary Margaret's, finding the color that looked so much like her own.

"You have every right in the world to be angry with me. To hate me."

"I could never hate you."

Hearing that made Mary Margaret's lips curve to a small smile.

"I want you to let it out. Tell me how you feel. I know you didn't want to talk earlier, and then everything happened so fast, but you need to let the words out."

"It won't change anything," Emma argued stubbornly.

"You mean it wont change the fact that I sent you away, to another world, all alone, with no one to help you or look out for you… that's what it won't change. It won't change your past. It won't change all the hurt you've gone through. Telling me how you feel, it won't heal your heart."

Emma tried to stop the tears from welling in her eyes. She snapped her eyelids closed while taking back her wrist.

"But it will, Emma," Mary Margaret said in desperation. "Yell at me. Scream at me. Let the anger out, please."

Emma spun around. "Fine. You want anger?" She asked, her voice rising. "You locked up me up in that stupid wardrobe and sent me off to nothing! You didn't know what was on the other side! You didn't know if anyone would even find me! How could you… I was… I just…" Emma fell to the bench behind her as some salty tears trickled from her eyes.

Mary Margaret let her quiet tears fall. She sat down next to Emma who looked lost in thought, her stare on the floor, her mind somewhere else. She reached for her daughter's hand, hoping and praying that Emma wouldn't' yank hers back. When Emma didn't move, Mary Margaret gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I did the same thing," Emma murmured. "I gave my son away… I couldn't… I didn't have anything… I didn't know how to be a mother."

"That's my fault," Mary Margaret said. "You never had a mother and because of that, you felt like you wouldn't be a good one to Henry."

"Never said that," Emma denied, the words low.

"You don't have to."

Emma didn't answer.

"It's okay. It's okay for you to be angry."

"No. It's a waste," Emma said while getting to her feet.

"Emma-"

"It's too much… I can't do this right now."

A deep frown took Mary Margaret's face as Emma walked away.

_TBC…_

**So, I didn't intend for this to be more than a one-shot, but it just sort of turned out that way. Funny how these stories wind up writing themselves… anyway, more to come! Please review before you go! **


	2. Disbelief

**A/N: Wow! I just want to say, to those who have been following my stories, a super big thank you for all the continued support! It means the world to me! **

**Hope you guys enjoy this next installment! More to come soon!**

**On The Inside**

**Chapter Two: Disbelief**

They journeyed through part of the night until finally settling down on a hill that overlooked their surroundings. Aurora wanted rest. Though she wouldn't admit it, Emma did too. Snow had to speak for her, telling the group that they should gather their energy for morning. So everyone settled under the stars.

Maybe an hour went by when a half -asleep Mary Margaret heard rustling beside her. She opened her eyes, her brows furrowing in confusion as Emma go to her feet and wondered off. Mary Margaret pushed off her forearms to sit up, watching as Emma lowered herself to the curve of the hill, her head tipping up to the sky.

Emma was wishing on a star. After spending countless nights bargaining with God to bring her parents back and wishing on stars for their return- long before she grew to an adult- she swore to never give into that desperation again. No one was listening anyway. But that night she broke that vow. She found the brightest star, closed her eyes and wished to go home to her son. She wished for her mother to hold her and make everything okay.

"Do you want to be alone?" a quiet voice asked.

Emma shook her head as she opened her eyes

Mary Margaret sat down on the grass, her eyes following Emma's line of vision.

"They never looked this bright in Storybrooke."

"No," Emma agreed.

"There's nothing to get in the way here. No street lights or flashing store signs. It's nice, isn't it? Seeing all the stars how they truly are. They can really light up the sky."

Emma nodded. Her eyes rolled to the ground. "She would have killed me."

"I'm sorry?"

"Regina. If you didn't send me through the wardrobe, she would have killed me."

Mary Margaret nodded, her gaze falling from the sky. "Yes, I believe she would have."

"You saved me."

"No," Mary Margaret said. "You were right. I chose one curse over another. I panicked, Emma. You were our only hope. You had a destiny bigger than just being my daughter… I had to give you the best chance you could have to break the curse."

"That's not why you did it," Emma argued. "Not entirely anyway… You wanted the truth from me, now it's your turn to come clean… you did it to save me."

Mary Margaret took a quiet breath as she tried to gather her thoughts.

"You let everyone, even David, think that you sent me to Maine so I could be the savior. But that's not the whole story…. I read that part of the book and now I get it… we couldn't go through together, but you realized Regina could take me and you wouldn't be able to stop her. So you sent me through. You let David think fate and the prophecy would keep me safe and everything would be alright but-"

"But I was an absolute wreck," Mary Margaret finished. "But I second guessed my decision even as the words left my mouth... Emma, if I could do it all over again-"

"You would make the same choice, and that's okay. I get it… you wanted to give me my best chance."

"Oh, Emma," Mary Margaret sighed. "Please don't be so understanding about it."

"I couldn't imagine being in that position. Having to choose… she would have killed me or raised me as her own. Who knows. Bitch is crazy, but… it's really hard to be ticked off about it when you were just trying to save me."

"But you are, and that's okay."

Emma looked to the ground, pulling a flower from the grass and picking off the pedals. "Have you realized it yet?"

"I'm sorry?"

"The book. Geppaddo told the blue fairy to lie about the wardrobe. You were told it only had enough magic for one but it could carry two. Pinocchio took your spot."

Mary Margaret's eyes widen in disbelief. "I could have gone with you."

Emma nodded.

"I gave it right to Henry. I looked through it but I didn't… I could have gone with you."

"I wanted to punch a hole through the wall when I found that out."

"Oh, honey… you know I would have gone with you. If I could have, I would. I wanted nothing more than to be with you."

"I know," Emma murmured through a nod.

"Do you want to hear about it? I know you've read some of the book, but I'd love to tell you about your birthplace."

Emma nodded.

"Well, let's see, where to start…"

TBC…

**Thoughts before you go? I'd love to hear 'em! Thanks for reading! **


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